For the first time the league is introducing double headers this year in the AFLW/AFL crossover period.

SEN can reveal four double headers will be played across the opening weeks of the AFLW season, pitting clubs against each other in back to back games across men’s and women’s.

While the league has staged AFLW matches before men’s games in the past, it has never committed to double headers as much as it will in August this year.

It’s understood multiple clubs included double headers in their AFLW fixture requests. The initiative, which is popular in rugby league and The Hundred cricket competition in the UK, will allow fans to watch two games back to back at venues such as Marvel Stadium.

In her new role as Executive General Manager of AFLW, Health and Football Operations, Laura Kane is keen to make key changes to accelerate the growth of the women’s league.

It’s understood she will announce the double header news today at Axiom, a future fandom event with the AFL’s corporate partners in Adelaide.

Double headers weren’t popular in the early days of AFLW, but clubs have softened and they are now widely viewed as a way of promoting a one club ethos, plus sharing travel costs.

It’s not clear which fixtures will be used to double up in the fortnight crossover when the women’s league is kicking off and the men’s home and away season is reaching a climax.

Double headers paves the way for more AFLW games to be played at ‘tier one’ stadiums, which has long been a wish for many W players.

The AFLW season will run from the week beginning August 10, with a 12-round home-and-away block, followed by a month of finals.

The Grand Final will be the weekend of November 28.